Patient interface system

Abstract

A patient interface system for scanning a volume of tissue protruding from a patient, the system comprising: a base including a planar portion configured to support the patient in a prone configuration, and a frustoconical portion extending from the planar portion and defining a base aperture configured to receive the volume of tissue; and a support assembly configured to couple to the base, including a frame and a membrane retained in tension within the frame at a peripheral portion of the membrane, wherein the membrane defines a membrane aperture configured to align with the base aperture, and wherein the membrane is configured to deflect into the frustoconical portion of the base in response to the patient's weight. The system can further include an electrical subsystem including a pressure sensor array configured to generate signals in response to a pressure distribution resulting from the patient's weight at the patient interface system.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method of positioning a volume of tissue using a patient support system, the method comprising:
 receiving the volume of tissue within a frustoconical portion of a base and through a base aperture, wherein the frustoconical portion extends from a plane defined by a planar portion of the base, wherein the planar portion of the base defines the base aperture; 
 supporting the volume of tissue using a membrane, wherein the membrane defines a membrane aperture and wherein the membrane abuts a top of the frustoconical portion of the base; and 
 deflecting the membrane into an inner sloped surface of the frustoconical portion of the base while the membrane is retained in tension in response to a weight of the volume of tissue, thereby increasing access to the volume of tissue. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising aligning the membrane aperture with the base aperture. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a distribution of the weight of the volume of tissue using a pressure sensor array, wherein the pressure sensor array is disposed proximal to the membrane. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3 , further comprising analyzing a set of signals generated by the pressure sensor array and indicative of the distribution of the weight of the volume of tissue, and adjusting a position of the volume of tissue in response to the set of signals generated by the pressure sensor array. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising providing instructions to guide positioning of the patient, at a user interface for at least one of the patient and an operator of the system, based upon the analysis. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4 , further comprising adjusting automatically a configuration of at least one of the base and the membrane in response to the analysis. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising adjusting a tension across a surface of the membrane. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the membrane is a least one of a set of membranes, wherein each membrane of the set of membranes defines a membrane aperture different in size from every other membrane aperture in the set of membrane apertures. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising selecting the membrane from the set of membranes based on one or more of: breast size, patient weight, patient height, torso width, and torso length. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising retaining a patient and the volume of tissue for an image scan. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising emitting acoustic waveforms toward the volume of tissue, receiving acoustic waveforms from the volume of tissue, and generating a set of acoustic data based upon the acoustic waveforms received from the volume of tissue. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising generating a rendering of the volume of tissue based on the set of acoustic data. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising analyzing the set of acoustic data and adjusting a position of the volume of tissue in response to the set of acoustic data. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the volume of tissue is a patient breast. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the base supports a patient in a prone position. 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising holding the membrane in tension within a frame, wherein the frame comprises a portion of a support assembly and wherein the frame is configured to abut the top of the frustoconical portion of the base.